The Holy Prophet Zachariah and Holy Righteous Elizabeth
Commemorated on September 5
The Holy Prophet
Zachariah and Holy Righteous Elizabeth were the parents of the holy
Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, John. They were descended from the
lineage of Aaron: Saint Zachariah, son of Barach, was a priest in the Jerusalem
Temple, and Saint Elizabeth was the sister of Saint Anna, – the mother of the
Most Holy Mother of God. The righteous spouses, "comporting themselves
through all the commandments of the Lord blameless (Lk. 1: 5-25), suffered
barrenness, which in the Old Testament times was considered a punishment
from God. One time during the occasion of service in the Temple, Saint
Zachariah received the news from an Angel, that his aged wife would bear him a
son, who "wilt be great before the Lord" (Lk. 1: 15) and "wilt
go before Him in the spirit and power of Elias" (Lk. 1: 17). Zachariah was
doubtful of the possibility of the fulfilling of this prediction, and for his
weakness of faith he was punished by becoming unable to speak. When Righteous
Elizabeth gave birth to a son, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit she
announced that his name was John, although earlier in their family line no one
had been given such a name as this. They asked Righteous Zachariah and he
likewise wrote down on the writing-board the name John. Immediately the gift of
speech returned to him, and inspired of the Holy Spirit, he began to prophesy
about his son as being the Forerunner of the Lord.
When impious king
Herod heard from the Magi about the birth of the Messiah, he decided to kill at
Bethlehem and its surroundings all the infants up to 2 years old, hoping that
in this number would be also the new-born Messiah. Herod well know about the unusual
birth of John and he wanted to kill him, fearing that he was the foretold King
of the Jews. But Righteous Elizabeth hid herself away with the infant in the
hills. The murderers searched everywhere for John. Righteous Elizabeth,
catching sight of her pursuers, began tearfully to implore God concerning their
safety, and immediately the hill opening up concealed her together with the
infant from their pursuers. In these tragic days Saint Zachariah was taking his
turn making services at the Jerusalem Temple. Soldiers sent by Herod tried in
vain to learn from him the whereabouts of his son. Then, by command of Herod,
they murdered this holy prophet, having stabbed him betwixt the offertory and
the altar (Mt. 23: 35). Righteous Elizabeth died 40 days after her spouse, and
Saint John, preserved by the Lord, dwelt in the wilderness until the day of his
appearance to the nation of Israel.
© 1996-2001 by translator Fr. S. Janos.
The Holy Prophet Zachariah
The Holy Righteous Elizabeth